LAFC vs. Houston Dynamo FC. Dénis Bouanga vs. Héctor Herrera. The 2022 MLS Cup winners vs. the 2023 US Open Cup champs.
However you frame Saturday night's Western Conference Final at BMO Stadium (9:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass), the brass tax remains: The winner travels for MLS Cup presented by Audi on Dec. 9; the loser starts planning for next year.
At risk of giving Ben Olsen's Dynamo bulletin-board material, the experts have Steve Cherundolo's Black & Gold ahead 8-1.
LAFC win
Houston have the best midfield left in the playoffs and can beat LAFC on the road (as they did earlier this season) either with the ball or by playing against it. That said, Conference Finals are decided by what you do with limited chances, and Dénis Bouanga showed against Seattle why it’s unwise to pick against the defending champs.
LAFC win
The experience LAFC have gained through the last 18 months will give them the edge over Houston. Also, they have attacking power with the momentum Dénis Bouanga brings.
LAFC win
LAFC are very good, very strong at BMO Stadium. Houston Dynamo have a very good midfield and will probably dominate the game via possession. I still think LAFC are good enough to fight off Houston's attack and create opportunities on the counter with Dénis Bouanga. We know what he's going to do, we know how he plays. That being said, it's difficult to stop him because he's in such a great moment in his career and I think LAFC will win.
LAFC win
LAFC have limped to this point so far in the postseason, but this might be their most straightforward matchup. The home side can play similarly to how they did against Seattle and try to win through Golden Boot winner Dénis Bouanga on the break. Houston will have their chances, but I see the reigning champs having too much.
LAFC win
I think LAFC will win 1-0. It will be a tight game and, once again, Dénis Bouanga will be the difference-maker. He is the X-factor, he only needs one chance and he'll put it away. Houston will have more possession of the ball and they'll create a few chances, but the LAFC defense will hold up and Bouanga will score on a counter-attack.
Houston Dynamo win
I am going with Houston over LAFC. In transition, I feel like they will deal with Dénis Bouanga and the rotation of Houston's midfield has been impressive.
LAFC win
Big players appear in big games, as Steve Cherundolo said. And even though they didn’t look like favorites during the previous round in Seattle, the squad’s individual performances made them favorites – not only because of home-field advantage, but because of how they are able to compete in big matches. So the defending champions are the favorites against the Houston Dynamo. And even though Houston won the Open Cup away at Inter Miami, LAFC are a completely different team than Inter Miami and playing away has been a struggle for Houston the whole season.
LAFC win
I’d choose to watch the Dynamo, but I would bet on Dénis Bouanga and the ruthless pragmatism of Steve Cherundolo. I’m going with my mind over my heart.
LAFC win
I expect Houston to have a lot more of the ball. But this LAFC team is way better in transition. They've shown they've gotten better at that from the past. They used to value the ball and now they have Dénis Bouanga who, in transition, there's no better player in MLS. I see LAFC taking the game maybe 1-0, 2-1. But credit to Houston, they've been amazing and played some of the best football we've seen throughout the season.
